City of Broken Hearts
by BrokenWingsDontFly
Summary: Some of us wish for money, some of us wish for power. And a very few of us wish for someone to take the hurt away and heal the cracks of a broken heart. It started at the club by chance and it was exactly what Jace needed. Bad Summary. Please read :thanks
1. Summary

****Disclaimer: I do not own the Mortal Instruments****

There's **Alec Lightwood** on the Upper East Side, stuck in a loveless marriage with a controlling girlfriend, never able to find the courage to explain exactly how he feels.

**Magnus Bane**, warlock, who runs two kinds of businesses out of his high-rise luxurious apartment in Brooklyn.

Stalking the crowded streets in downtown, there's **Ayla**, part-fey, a prostitute struggling to escape the life and still keep her job a secret from her friends.

In the werewolf headquarters, a downtown police department, **Maia Roberts** is alone, pregnant and shattered, wondering how something so permanent could be so temporary.

**Jace Wayland**, who is rude, arrogant, conceited and as stuck-up as Shadowhunters go. He scoffs at the idea of love, even though he is more lonely than he would ever admit.

Pretty **Isabelle**, who lives in the Institute still, goes through boys like sick people go through tissues. It kills her to watch her brother be so helpless.

In his decayed hotel of faded beauty, **Raphael Santiago **mourns the girl he once loved.

And last, but not least, in her apartment over-looking the river, **Clary Fray**, artist, believer, dreamer. She's always been in her own little world, she's never fallen in love and she's never really noticed anyone enough to care about them.

**Welcome to the City of Broken Hearts**

_What do you think? Love or hate? I'd love some reviews and flames are accepted. It will be a Jace x Clary and I tried to keep the characters as close to the book description as possible, with the only exception of Ayla, who I had to invent myself. Just tell me if I should update or not. I guess it's pretty obvious that this is my first Fanfiction :D_

_Thanks! _

_Bree 3 _


	2. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

_In this timeline, there was no Valentine. Everyone knows about Shadowhunters and demons and Clary and Jace haven't met yet and they are not siblings. _

_Oh and a big thank you to __rezhneh__, __Becca__Fredrickson__, __taylorsnooze__, and __4everclacexoxo__ for being awesome and giving me my first four reviews :D You guys made my day (:  
><em>

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><p><strong>Chapter One<strong>

Alec Lightwood really needed a beer. He tapped the edge of his leather armchair impatiently, wishing that Aline could just _shut up_ for once in her life. He bet Kaelie, who was at the other, less fortunate, end of Aline's iPhone, taking Aline Penhallow's (Penhallow-Lightwood, he mentally correct himself, flinching when he remembered that he had married her) entire wrath, also felt the same way. At least he wasn't being used as a shield this time.

Why he was with Aline still was a mystery to Alec. When he was young and naïve, he fell for Aline, hard. She read, she was reserved; it was like a dream come true. His parents had been pressuring to date and have a serious girlfriend and instead of explaining how he really felt, being a man (so to speak), he caved like a little boy. He should have listened to Isabelle, though.

"That girl has no imagination," Isabelle had said when Alec told her he had asked Aline out, long before he proposed. She had been sipping a beer, so her words were slightly slurred. "You know what that means? You're in for one hell of a drag. If she got no imagination, she won't ever change. Inflexible. Probably in more ways that one," she had added thoughtfully and then laughed.

"Izzy, you're drunk," was all Alec had said and now, six months later, he was in a relationship with an inflexible, emotionally unstable girl.

"What that hell? Are you freaking kidding me?" Aline's voice rose even louder. "I swear to God, Kaelie, you are so stupid."

_So stupid_. Alec rolled his eyes. Kaelie was part-fey and everyone knew that anyone with a drop of fey blood did not especially like to be yelled at. Kaelie might be Aline's friend, but Alec didn't doubt for a minute that Kaelie was a backstabber. He was so glad, for once, that Isabelle didn't take crap from anyone and hadn't had much patience with girl drama.

"Honey, we're going to be late," he called.

"Alec, shut up for a minute," Aline yelled back, before yelling into the phone. "Kaelie, I swear, you better get your ass down to that office and take care of it or I'm going to freaking rip your stupid head off."

"Aline, the High Warlock of Brooklyn," Alec enunciated slowly, "invited us to a party at his club. High. Warlock. Do you have any idea what an honor this is?"

Aline slammed her phone down and then turned around and smiled, suddenly all sugary and sweet. "Of course. I'll be ready in a minute. Oh and you look delicious, babe." She walked out of the Institute's living room and came back with a pair of heels on to match her short red dress. "I'm ready."

"Okay," Alec replied, feeling slightly uneasy as he did all those times when her moods ricocheted, sometimes from breakdown crying to overjoyed to red-face with hysteria. "Let's go."

* * *

><p>"But seriously, man, you have to get out there," Jonathon Fray said to Jace Wayland, the two of them sitting alone by the bar. "All you ever have are one-nightstands. Don't you want a real relationship?"<p>

Jace laughed. "Hell, no. Short and simple. It's easier that way."

"Come on, let me pair you up with someone," persisted Jonathon. In the background, Downworlders and a few brave Shadowhunters danced across the floor under a huge sparkly banner that said The Magnificent Magnus's Grand Opening of the Pandemonium Club.

"Nah. I can't stand the girls in this generation. All stupid and fluffy and pink hearts and crap." Jace rolled his eyes. "Well, where's your girlfriend on this very fine evening?"

Jonathon rolled his eyes. "Don't get me started. Her crazy ass boss made her go to the office and work some batcrap out."

"And miss one of the magnificent Magnus's famous parties?" gasped Jace. "Oh no."

"Shut up, wise ass." Jonathon looked around the Pandemonium Club, now owned by Magnus Bane and noticeably more sparkly than it was before and then waved over at someone. "And try to be nice."

"What?" Jace said just as a girl walked over. She was pretty, Jace had to admit, with long curly blonde hair and a pretty nice body.

"Hey, Ayla," Jonathon said. He turned to Jace. "This is Kaelie's cousin. They're like sisters."

"Are you part fey too?" Jace asked, grinning up at her.

She laughed. "Is it that obvious?"

"The eyes," Jace said, "they're too stunning to be mundane."

Jonathon rolled his eyes. "Easy, Romeo."

"No need to be insulting, Jonathon," Ayla said. She looked back at Jace, giving him a once over before batting her eyes. "You want a drink?"

"Freaky Pete, I'm gonna need a shot of vodka," Jonathon leaned across the bar and muttered to the werewolf. "All this flirty crap. Ugh."

"Yeah," Jace said, hopping off his bar stool. "This parties are pretty boring anyways. Where is Manure Magnus anyways?"

"It's Magnificent Magnus," Ayla said coolly. "And he's my boss."

Jonathon choked on his vodka. Jace kicked him under the chair.

"Now, if you don't mind, I just saw Aline," Ayla said, just as coolly, walking away to the door where Alec Lightwood and Aline Penhallow-Lightwood just came in.

"Wow," Jonathon said, turning to face Jace, sliding his empty vodka shot away from him, "way to screw it up."

"Whatever," Jace said, sinking back onto his stool.

"Dude, she was seriously hot!" Jonathon exclaimed. Then, as an afterthought, "Well, I think Kaelie's hotter, but still. They're cousins, bro!"

Jace glared at him. "I wasn't into her."

"Face it, you need a girlfriend. For, like, more than an hour."

"You're gonna have to speak up," Jace said, as he scanned the crowd, trying to find some distraction, when he saw a flash of bright red. A redheaded girl was leaning against the wall across the dance floor, a faraway look in her eye. Something struck him about her. Maybe it was how vulnerable she looked, being so small. Or maybe that she was so different the every other girl he'd ever met, just standing there; alone, which would have been a challenge for Kaelie, or Aline and probably Ayla. She reminded him a bit of Izzy, defiant and fine being totally different than everyone else. But Izzy was also crazy, mentally and boy-crazy.

"I said," Jonathon repeated, noticeably louder so the two werewolves next to the looked over, "that—"

"Who is she?" Jace cut him off, looking in the direction of the redhead.

Jonathon looked over and then back at Jace and the over at the girl again. "You're joking right?"

"What?" Jace looked at him, the light from a disco ball bouncing off his eyes and illuminating their golden color.

"That's my sister, Clary. Remember? She just came back from a two-year exchange in France," Jonathon said slowly. "You have to remember her."

"No," Jace said bewildered. "I never saw her before."

"Of course you did. Or maybe not. She was always in her room daydreaming when you came over." Jonathon looked at her thoughtfully.

Jace leaned against the sticky polished wood of the bar, contemplating. And then—

"See you, Jonathon," he said without really realizing he was saying it and started cutting across the dance floor.

"Dude!" Jonathon yelled at Jace's retreating figure. "What the hell?" He looked over at the two werewolves next to him. "Don't hit on my sister!" he practically screamed.

The two werewolves, who looked pretty intoxicated, looked over at him. "Shh," one said slowly, putting his finger to his lips, "the mighty Chairman Meow is sleeping."

Jonathon looked past them and indeed, there was a tiny fuzz ball snoozing on the bar. "Yeah, I'm so finding Kaelie," he muttered, jumping off of his bar stool.

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><p><strong>Ooh! This is a longish chapter (I hope ) <strong>

**So what did y'all think? I haven't introduced all the characters yet, but they're gonna be in the next chapter. How did you like Jace thinking about Clary? Too fluffy? **

**Reviews make me happy and opinions/ideas/flames are also welcome.**

**I'll update soon. Promise. **

**Bree**


	3. Chapter 2

**Author's Note:**

_Many thanks to mymortalromances and Blue Lily96. Your reviews make me write even more (: _

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><p><strong>Chapter Two<strong>

"Are you sure you don't want to go?" Luke asked, his blue eyes filled with concern.

Maia Roberts shook her head slowly. They were sitting on a beat up couch in what the cubs like to call the family room of the headquarters.

Luke didn't say anything for a while, but confusion practically radiated off of him. Maia felt a pang in heart. She wanted to confide in him; he was more than the pack's leader, he was like their father. But she couldn't. It was so humiliating.

"Well," Luke said, getting off the couch slowly, "I have to go. Jocelyn and the family are already at the party." He searched Maia's face. "If you need anything, call me."

Luke turned to walk through the door, his beaten up boots making a hollow sound and Maia really wanted to grab his shirttail (which was sticking out) and beg him not to leave her alone, for him to just stay and make her feel less alone.

The door to the rest of the department opened and light poured in, silhouetting Luke's figure. "Whip's manning the bar today," he said, mentioning the name of one of the cubs. There were a few who had just been recently changed and Luke thought it best if they didn't go and some that choice not to go with the excuse that it took them hours to get the glitter out of their hair. "Tell me if he does anything crazy."

Maia nodded numbly. Luke started walking again. _Please don't leave, please don't leave, please don't_—The door slammed shut and Maia was alone in darkness. _Leave_.

* * *

><p>"Enjoying the party, sweetheart?"<p>

Ayla looked up from her cubra libre and immediately took a step back when she saw who it was. "Stay away from me."

Sebastian Verlac let out a laugh that raised the hairs on her neck. She shuddered, remembering his hands touching her and cursing herself, again, for sinking so low. But then again it was business. Just a job, nothing more. But Sebastian didn't really get that, did he?

"Magnus is here," she informed him, taking her drink and backing away slowly, trying to ignore the fact that Aline and Alec were dancing and she was alone at a table in a dark corner.

"Ooh," Sebastian said, "Magnus is here. What's he gonna do? Sparkle me to death?"

"Why don't we try that out and see how it goes?" A voice rumbled and Ayla was immediately grateful for Magnus and his warlock powers. He was in front of Ayla, but at an angle so she could see his face and it took a lot of will power not to cower. A pissed Magnus was a scary Magnus.

"I'm warning you, you filthy excuse for a Shadowhunter," Magnus said in a low voice, "stay away from all of my girls."

Ayla wasn't used to seeing this side of Magnus. It made his seem older than nineteen. Then again, everything about his second business made him seem older. She guessed that since the Accords took place and the Clave raised taxes, times were getting desperate.

"Now," Magnus said louder and in his usual manner, "I don't recall inviting you, so I'd like you to walk out of that door over there"—he waved his hand in the vague direction of the door— "before I conjure up some magical super-strength sparkly legs to kick your ass out of here."

Scowling, Sebastian glared at Magnus, and then walked away, but not before turning around to look at Ayla, his eyes raking her body in away the made Goosebumps rise on her arms and make her feel strangely violated.

"Shot of gin," Magnus growled, still looking at where Sebastian had been a few minutes before. Freaky Pete immediately cleaned a shot glass and got to work. He was working faster than he had this entire night. "And feel free to mix some vodka in there."

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><p><strong>This was really just a repost. Sorry to everyone who thought I had uploaded a new chapter. I'm hoping to have chapter three out by tonight.<strong>

**I'd love reviews **

**Bree **


	4. Chapter 3

**Author's Note:**

_You guys might have noticed that there's been so trouble with the chapters. Honestly, I don't know why. I had to re-post the second half of the first chapter and then it went kinda crazy on me. Yikes. _

_I'd also like to thank __MyFadingGuilt__ for their extremely sweet review. Thank you That was so sweet, it put a smile on my face the whole day. Ohh and also, I'm still trying to get used to the format thing, 'cause it's different then on my computer, so if the text is all squished sorry! _

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><p><strong>Chapter Three <strong>

When Isabelle Lightwood walked through the door to the new Pandemonium Club, she blinked. Hard. The dry ice machine must have been mixed with sparkles, because the fog in the club was bedecked with sparkles and some were just floating aimlessly around.

The club was fancy, Isabelle had to admit. There was a long bar running on one side and few tables near it, in a darkly lit corner.

"Isabelle!" a voice shrieked.

"Damn it," muttered Isabelle, before turning around a flashing a smile. "Aline!"

Alec was right behind Aline as she gave Isabelle a tight hug. By Aline's flushed face and the smell of whiskey, Izzy knew she was drunk.

"I told you not to let her drink," she whispered to Alec.

"It was only half a shot of whiskey!" protested Alec.

"Well, now she's batcrap crazy." Isabelle glowered at him. She could barely stand her sister-in-law before she was her sister-in-law and now Aline just ambushed her everywhere. In the Institute, on fifth avenue, in a club. She had this delusional assumption that Isabelle considered her a real sister. But with Izzy, you had to earn her respect and friendship. You couldn't get it by marrying her brother.

"Ohmygod, have you _seen_ the warnus, Maglock? He's so shinyyyyy," Aline sang, swaying slightly. She let go of Isabelle and then fell immediately backwards. Alec caught her as she tittered.

"Honey, why don't you go sit down with Ayla?" suggested Alec.

"Sure, sure," Aline said between giggles. She swaddled over to Ayla, who looked less than thrilled to have a drunk Aline sitting with her.

"She looks like a duck," Isabelle commented.

"Izzy," Alec said tiredly.

"What?" Isabelle said innocently.

"Just leave my wife alone."

Anger sparked up in Isabelle whenever he used the word wife. "Oh?" she said, rounding on him. "Why should I?"

"Because she's part of the family now?" Alec guessed, looking at Isabelle strangely.

"Alec, you're so wishy-washy," Isabelle snapped. "She's only part of the family because you were too scared that Mom and Dad would find out that you're—" Isabelle's voice had been steadily increasing.

"ISABELLE. Shut _up_," Alec hissed, looking around to see if anyone heard.

"Alec, when are you going to start living life?" she said philosophically. "Honestly if—oooh hottie alert!" Isabelle's eyes snapped onto a dark haired boy sitting at the bar. "And he's mine," Isabelle looked at Alec meaningfully.

"Whatever," Alec said, annoyed. "I'm going to Aline."

"Have fun," Isabelle called back as she walked away, "if you can."

"Hey," Isabelle said, sliding up to the dark-haired boy.

He nodded back, uninterested. _A challenge_, Isabelle thought, her mouth curling into a smile. She loved challenges.

"What are you doing here?" she purred, leaning in a little closer. She'd learn from experience how to send a message across without being too needy. Nothing turned guys off like a needy girl.

He shrugged, not saying anything, but under his dark hair, his eyes flicked up to meet hers. They were the color of coffee, a common enough shade, but something about them captivated her. They were soft and innocent.

She could have left it at that. She could have dropped it. Isabelle liked going for bad boys, guys who she knew wouldn't want a real relationship, just a few rolls in the hay (so to speak). But those boys were fake, phony, hiding under the tough guys persona. She had never really known any of them. But this boy, he was real. Isabelle was surprised to catch herself thinking that. But it was true. She could just feel it.

"Hi," she said softly, "I'm Isabelle."

"I'm Simon," he said, holding out his hand to shake.

So maybe it hadn't really been that hard, but for some reason, Isabelle felt accomplished.

* * *

><p>"Well, well, if it isn't little miss Clarissa Fray," a voice drawled.<p>

Clary jumped, startled, focusing in on the person in front of her. "Who are you?" she asked loudly, her voice competing against the music. Standing in front of her was an attractive boy with golden hair and a smirk on his face.

"Come on," he said, like he was playing a game. "Don't you remember me?"

"Um, should I?" she asked, staring at him like he'd lost his mind. What kind of random person introduced himself, already thinking that everyone would know who he is? How conceited was that?

"Wow," the guy said more to himself, "this must be the first time a female member of the human species has ever forgotten about me."

"Well, you should have made yourself more memorable," Clary replied, looking off to the side again. Where was Luke? Jocelyn was in the corner, talking to Maryse Lightwood and looking a bit uncomfortable. Jonathon, true to form, had disappeared, probably searching for Kaelie, his girlfriend.

"You seriously can't remember your brother's best friend?" he said.

Clary turned around slowly. "Wait. You're…" she paused, remembering glimpses she'd caught of her brother and his friends when she was younger, usually when she was en route to the bathroom, kitchen or her room. When he was little, Jonathon didn't like having a little sister. When she was a baby, he used to deny her existence, flat out, until Jocelyn explained, kindly, that this baby was here to stay. Even so, when they were growing up, he liked her to stay in her room when his friends came and she was happy to, doodling pictures of faraway princes and castles. Right now, though, she felt embarrassed she couldn't even put a name to a face.

"Jace," the guy finished for her.

"Right." The guy kept looking at her, but Clary looked to the door again. Luke still had yet to show and now she felt nervous, wondering if something had happened to him.

After an awkward pause, Jace said, "Well, since I obviously didn't make an impression on you when we were little, why don't I make it up now?"

The door to the club swung open and Luke came in, readjusting his glasses, looking more tired than Clary had ever seen him.

"Um, thanks but no." She hadn't really heard what Jace said, but she wanted to find out what was bothering Luke.

"You know, most girls would kill for a chance to hang out with me," he said, saying it like it was a fact, not some conceited statement.

Clary turned to look at him, fully look at him, "Yeah, well I'm not like most girls."

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><p>"Whip, what are you doing?" Maia asked, having finally come down to the Hunter's Moon, only to see the new cubs having a contest to see who could chug the most beer. Straight from the nozzle.<p>

Whip jumped and then blushed. "Well. Um. We're kinda…"

Maia raised an eyebrow and folded her arms across her chest. "I drink beer that comes from the nozzles. You better clean them."

Jimmy cleared his throat. He was only nine, but had been bitten when he was six. In those three years, living off the street, his mentality had made a gigantic leap. He was almost about as mature as an adult. Luke said it was because when he was living off the streets, Jimmy had to think like an older person. And therefore he did. "You're lucky the Praetor Lupus isn't here," he said snippily from his seat, lowering the book he was reading.

Maia's stomach dropped. She didn't want to think about Jordan, or his organization or the fact that the organization made him leave, but it all came rushing back in her head.

"Just clean the damn nozzles," she ordered to Whip and the other two cubs, Lila and Martin. Ignoring their choruses of 'yes' and 'of course', Maia walked into her room.

A lot of the overnighters shared cells and various extra rooms around the department as their bedrooms and Maia was no exception. She roomed with two girls, Amabel and Coralline. When Jordan was here and they wanted some, um, privacy, they'd go to his room. Every werewolf headquarters was required to have a guest room, in case any Praetor Lupus member came. Jordan had come to check up on how Luke was running the place and he and Maia kinda picked up where they left off.

A lot of the werewolves grumbled about the fact that Jordan got special treatment, but really, having your own room wasn't a big deal. She could kind of understand the younger cubs being upset when Jordan instated a drinking policy and made people show their IDs if they wanted a shot. Okay, maybe twelve-year-old cubs shouldn't drink, but where was the harm? It took a great deal of alcohol to get a werewolf drunk.

Shutting the door behind her, Maia was glad her roomies were out at the party. Amabel couldn't stand anything being messy and, as a spontaneous cleaner, she was always tidying things up. Maia's small stack of personal possessions was now in a box with her name clearly printed on every side, at the foot of her cot. She sank into her cot, feeling the springs sink under her weight. She closed her eyes and tried to get some sleep, but she couldn't .Sighing, she sat up right and shoved her hand under her pillow, searching for something.

Pulling out a thin stick, Maia stared at it numbly. It was the pregnancy test she had taken on a whim after Jordan upped and left and even though everything else in her life was changing and moving too fast, the little positive indicator was the only thing that didn't change and it was all she had to hold onto. And she really didn't know what she was going to do with it.

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><p>"Why must we go to do these stupid parties?" Lily growled.<p>

"Because it's socially polite," Jacob shot back, shoving her.

"Screw society," Lily said and she punched Jacob in the shoulder.

"Why don't you guys like these parties?" Zeke asked, staring at the fog. "The air's so sparkly. Spaaaarkly. It's so cool."

Raphael rolled his eyes and snapped his fingers. "Dios, can you please try and act civilized for one night." He turned his back on the dance floor and faced the reminder of his clan, the ones who weren't drinking or on the dance floor. "Think for a minute of who is here. The High Warlock of Brooklyn and his brethren. The fey. The children of the moon." Lily snarled. "And," Raphael continued, "the Shadowhunters. Do you not realize that every single one of them are judging us?" Raphael met the eyes of his vampires with a steely gaze. "Do not think for a minute, just because this is a party, that they are not scrutinizing us."

"Sorry, Master," Lily said, bowing her head. "We did not think of that." She cast a furtive look at Jacob and Zeke and then they bowed their head down too and muttered apologies.

"Man, what should do then?" Zeke asked.

"Socialize," Raphael said, "and absolutely no fighting even with the moon children." He called them a disgusting name in Spanish.

"Right," Jacob said and he and Zeke headed to the bar.

"Lily," Raphael called.

"Yes?"

He motioned for her to come closer. "Keep an eye on Zeke for me. I don't want him to embarrass me."

"Yes, Master."

And then it was just Raphael alone in the shadows, at the edge of the dance floor. The people blurred as they danced and he watched them, some laughing, some crying, some in a drunken stupor. The euphoria of the place was intoxicating and he vaguely wondered if it was warlock magic. His eyes locked onto a blonde haired boy, staring longingly as a redheaded girl walked away from him. He knew the Shadowhunter; he'd been interested in some of Raphael's motorbikes. But he'd never seen him look so intrigued. Jace Wayland wasn't easy to impress.

This girl was obviously special to Jace and Raphael wondered how he could use that to his advantage. If he played his cards right, he could maybe get some new material for the hotel. Or maybe Jace'd convince the Clave to look the other way when Raphael traded motorbikes for money. Then again, maybe it was nothing. Jace had never come across a girl he hadn't been able to bang with one look and that was all.

Raphael sighed. He hadn't always been like this at a party, scheming and making plans over things that were really just innocent little looks. But he was naïve when he thought he could run the clan better than Camille. He was so very wrong. It was hard, keeping the vampires happy. They were a tempermental breed. And it wasn't like society was in their favor. Sometimes Raphael felt like vampires were the lowest of the low, at the very bottom of the Downworlder's social ladder.

It wasn't always like this. In his early days, the vampires weren't frowned upon. They were truly equals. He'd listen eagerly when Camille recounted her days in England, the parties and fancy gowns and her run ins with de Quincy, the most terrible vampire she'd ever encounter. Things had gone south since and Camille was almost always gone on trips and on one, she just never came back. The glory days, as Raphael knew them, were over.

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><p><strong>Watcha guys think? <strong>

**Just so you know, your input in priceless. I love when you guys give me your ideas or your opinions on what does and does not work. So right them reviews and make them as long you want ;) **

**Thanks **

**And I'll keep writing if you guys keep reviewing**

**Bree**


	5. Chapter 4

**Author's Note:**

**Ah! Sorry for not updating sooner. School, track and evil homework assignments almost killed me. It's my first year of high school and ohmygod, is it hard. Well, here's the next chapter. Sorry for the delay. Reviews? Please? **

**Ennnnnjoyyyy**

**Chapter Four**

"Luke," Clary called, pushing her way through the thickening crowd of people on the dance floor, which was packed. Sweaty bodies glistened under the flashing lights and sparkly fog curled at her ankles. "Luke!"

Luke, who had been heading to an empty table, turned around. He smiled tiredly when he saw Clary.

Shoving a vampire with blue hair and ignoring the icy glare the vampire girl shot back, Clary was finally on the other side of the dance floor. Slipping into a seat next to Luke, she was ready to fire off her questions, but he beat her to it.

"So, how do you like it? I bet they didn't have parties like these in France," he said, smiling firmly.

"Screw that," Clary said impatiently. She hated it when Luke pretended nothing was wrong. Ignoring his raised eyebrow, Clary asked, "How come you're so late? What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong," Luke said, his resting on Clary's.

"Oh yeah?" Clary asked, leaning back in her seat. "Then why do you look like someone just shoved a spatula up your ass?"

"Clarissa," he looked at her sternly, "language."

Clary rolled her eyes, "Sorry, sorry." She looked at him expectantly. "Well?"

"I saw you talking to Jace," Luke said, annoyingly off topic. "I didn't think you'd remember the Waylands."

"I don't," she said. Luke was keeping his eyes on Jace, almost like he was contemplating something. "Luke. Stop looking at him." Luke's eyes went all squinty and he was ignoring her so she smacked him and hissed, "Luke! For crying out loud, stop looking at him. Do you know how creepy that is?"

"Do you think," Luke said slowly, "if he had to, Jonathon could beat him up?"

"If he had to? Luke, did the cubs slip you something? I've told you: say no to the baby werewolves with the packets of powder, even if they _are _adorable."

He waved his hands impatiently. "We're over that, I have Jimmy watching out for those evil, adorable, fluffy drug-cubs."

"Yes," muttered Clary, "have the tiniest, smallest, youngest, most least intimidating cub handle the druggies. _Great _idea."

"Jimmy's wise for his age. And I was just thinking that, you know, if this Jace guy does something to you, you know like takes advant—"

"OH MY GOD. _Luke_," Clary said loudly, staring at him like he lost his mind. A compulsive shudder ran through her several times. "Eughhh. There is nothing, _nothing. _going on between Jace and me. We're not even friends. All he did was come up to be with this big, cocky, arrogant, I-so-freaking-hot-I-burned-my-last-brain-cell-out attitude and acts like I'm supposed to know him," Clary fired at him hotly, before exhaling and leaning back against the seat. The song changed to some Top 40 hit, all rap and beats and almost everyone rushed out onto the dance floor.

"Is that so?" Luke asked, still looking at Jace and now Clary recognized that look. She wanted to bang her head on the table when she realized that Luke was sizing him up, as in for a fight. Then he looked at her, normally. "Well, if it's nothing, then it's nothing."

"It's nothing," Clary confirmed, feeling goosebumps spread up on her arms, because she knew, not even deep down, right up on the surface, that it wasn't nothing.

* * *

><p>"Alec," Ayla hissed, stalking by, "check on your girl."<p>

Alec, who had been chatting up two young warlocks, something about Accord taxes and a few new laws, turned to her and then, almost as if dreading it, back at their table, where Aline was drunkenly laughing, looking totally wasted. He made his excuses to the warlocks, one of whose bat wings fluttered impatiently.

Finally. Ayla rolled her eyes. She couldn't stand Aline. It was girls like her, the ones who liked to get attention for all the wrong reasons, that people always stereotyped her, um, fellow employees to be. And they were nothing like that.

She searched around for another table, one, hopefully, as far away from Aline's sight and hearing range as can be. Isabelle had escaped to some dark haired boy earlier and Kaelie was no where to be seen. Typical. She was probably doing the nasty with Jonathon in a closet somewhere. And ever since Sebastian left, Ayla felt this tingly feeling in her bones, as if his words had penetrated through her skin like bullets and shattered her soul.

Every time she saw that bastard, she was pretty sure part of her soul died. He was the only would who had ever been able to read her somewhat easily and when they had their first appointment, she had though, by the Angel, this can't be happening. And then when it was over and they were done, he showed his true colors, the charming smile gone and that violent, animal-like snarl appeared, wanting more, _demanding _more.

Ayla shuddered and walked quickly past the dance floor as the rap song, an Eminem one, she thought, died down and a new, slower song started up. Normally, she would have gotten a guy to dance with her. Maybe the golden haired boy from the bar, though he did insult Magnus. Or the goth vampire next to her. But just thinking about Sebastian had ruined everything. She wanted to be alone now and she didn't want anybody to touch her. She wished, as she did so many times before, that her life had been just a little different, that she had had maybe, just a little luck on her side, one good break.

She found a seat close enough to the dance floor, but far enough away from the bar or the lights, making it hard for any drunks to accost her and no one, really, could see her.

Almost like she was invisible.

* * *

><p>Isabelle nodded politely, looking at the dance floor wistfully, rather than the boy in front of her, who was immersed in explaining some crap about how to get onto a new level in some freaking quest in his damn video game. Blah, blah, blah, blah. Kill the troll here, find the chest there. Isabelle rolled her eyes. Dante was wrong; the ninth circle of hell was right here.<p>

"Simon," Isabelle said, smoothly interrupting him, one of her pale, delicately scarred hands reaching across the table to quit his, which had been drumming on the table. "Do you want to dance?"

"Oh, um, I don't exactly… I can't really….," Simon mumbled, turning red and looking and down. Isabelle groaned inside. _Of course_ he couldn't dance. He spent too much time playing his goddamn video games, he probably didn't even know how to sway back and forth.

It wasn't like she didn't like Simon; she did. He was cute, funny, interesting….until he started on his video games. But it was cool. Kinda. Just a little annoying, not a big deal.

Armed with this thought, and realizing that dancing would be the only way to get him to shut up about World of nobody-freaking-cares, she yanked him too the dance floor. "I'm leading," she instructed.

"Isabelle," Simon started but she just glared at him and he shut up fast.

"Just sway back and forth," she crooned, "it's really easy in its actuality."

"Actuality?" Simon asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Just dance. Put your weight on one foot and then the other and you _better_ be in time with the music," she said, only a tad bit annoyed.

He looked down at his feet for the most part, but Izzy was pretty sure every know and then, his eyes looked up at her from under his bangs. Before, he had looked at her like he was interested, no stake whatsoever. But now, it was more like he was intrigued.

Isabelle just looked at him for a moment, not really sure how to gauge the difference. And then she caught herself. It didn't matter. Tomorrow, it would all be over. She tossed her hair, needing something to do besides thinking.

"Hey," Simon said quietly, looking up at her, his eyes sparkling, giving new depth to that average shade. "Hair-tossing isn't in time with the beat."

And in that moment, she knew that the Isabelle before her, the one with who never let a boy in before, who was always up first and out of there before any guy blinked twice, the girl who lived for the nights, was gone.

* * *

><p>Raphael leaned against the wall. From his place, he was granted full view of the club. His eyes followed his people through the crowds, watching like a hawk. Lily was keeping Zeke in line, but the boy was obviously high. Damn those furry cub dealers.<p>

The song changed, more sweet and soft, a slow song. It was old and he recognized it. Raphael tensed up all over, but when the music washed over him, he relaxed, closing his eyes and seeing the face that only every appeared in his dreams.

She had big, hazel eyes and caramel colored curls and a mouth that was always moving, laughing. Kissing. Him.

"Carmelita," he murmured, wishing he could caress her the way he could caress her name.

* * *

><p><em>Hehehe, so did you guys like it? A little backstory on Raphael there. Well. Comments, concerns, reviews, flames, all are welcome, I don't discriminate :D <em>


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